Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum versus Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum .
Last updated on July 20, 2023. Published on February 18, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both cruelty-free and reef safe serums. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain retinoid and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain oils
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum 20 ingredients
Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
Contains EU Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum 20 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum 20 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Prunus Armeniaca Juice • Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil • Persea Gratissima Oil • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Squalane • Cetearyl Alcohol • Glyceryl Stearate Se • Retinol • Phenoxyethanol • Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer • Benzyl Alcohol • Phospholipids • Tocopherol • Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 • Glycine Soja Oil • Ethylhexylglycerin • Glycolipids • Dehydroacetic Acid • Polysorbate 60 • Sorbitan Isostearate • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Glycine Soja Sterols
Water • Propanediol • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride • Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Succinate • Sorbitan Oleate • Sodium Ascorbate • Tocopherol • Sodium Hyaluronate • Phenoxyethanol • Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer • Retinol • Ethylhexylglycerin • Citric Acid • Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil • Phospholipids • Retinyl Palmitate • Tocopheryl Acetate • Ascorbyl Palmitate • Salicylic Acid • Sorbic Acid
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterThe INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 1.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideThe INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 6.
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 3.
Retinol is a form of Vitamin A and proven to help with anti-aging.
It promotes collagen production, increases new cell turnoever, and protects your skin as an antioxidant.
Retinol boosts collagen production and increases cell turnover. This makes retinol effective in removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Retinol is less effective when exposed to sun. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent.
Using retinol and retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolThe INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 10.
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 11.
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 9.
Phospholipids are naturally found in our skin as they are the main component of cell membranes. Phospholipids have humectant, emollient, antioxidant properties.
The phospholipids in our skin can be naturally depleted. Replenishing the phospholipids in our skin can help hydrate your skin. Due to their hygroscopic nature, they act as humectants and emollients. Humectants draw moisture from the air to your skin, while emollients help trap moisture in. This ingredient is non-occlusive.
Studies show phospholipids display antioxidant activity and may help with reducing the signs of aging.
Phospholipids are complex lipids that contain glycerin, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group. Some foods that contain phospholipids include soybeans and milk. The phospholipids found in soy come from Lecithin. This ingredient can also be synthetically created.
Some types of phospholipids:
Learn more about PhospholipidsThe INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 14.
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolThe INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 15.
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 7.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum contains this as ingredient number 18.
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum contains this as ingredient number 12.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum 20 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
The INKEY List 1% Retinol Serum 24 ingredients
Trader Joe's Retinol Night Serum 20 ingredients
Alternatives
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